Trust leaned forward, palms flat on the low table, and set the numbers down like a hammer. “Professor Manuel, we will offer you one billion per contract period. Every five years we will sign anew. That gives you a guaranteed one billion every five years, locked and delivered. That is two hundred million per year, up front and guaranteed. Think about the reach we can give your vaccine. Think about how quickly this will be in every hospital across the South.”He said it with the confident, oily smile of a man who believed money solved everything. He imagined the professor, exhausted and cautious, being seduced by the convenience of rapid distribution. He imagined the signature, the ink, the transfer. Trust almost laughed at the thought. He could hardly contain the contempt in his expression.Servants circulated at the edges, refilling glasses and pretending not to see the tension between the men at the center table. The Blues Club’s private suite had mirrors in the ceiling and thick cur

Lazarus’s tone dripped with contempt. “Who allowed you to stand up?” he barked, his voice echoing through the hall. “Kneel down again before I break your other leg! Or are you in such a hurry to die?”Jason trembled, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth. He had been beaten down earlier, his pride crushed under Lazarus’s heel. But the moment his eyes caught sight of Jaden walking in, something in him reignited—defiance, courage, hope.He spat blood onto the marble floor and grinned through the pain. “Haha… Mr. Rift is here,” he rasped. “You’re all dead men walking.”The air went still.Lazarus’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What did you just say?” he hissed, stepping forward. “Do you have a death wish? Have you forgotten who controls the South?” His voice rose to a furious roar. “Beat this insolent fool to death!”Two bodyguards stepped forward without hesitation, their muscles tensing as they swung their clubs down at Jason.But before they could strike, a blur flashed ac

Abraham wiped his glasses and steadied his breath, still shaken but composed enough to speak. “I’m fine,” he said quietly, “but these people… they’ve gone too far.”Jason, standing beside him with blood drying on his cheek, clenched his fists. Anger burned through his exhaustion. “Too far is an understatement,” he said hoarsely. “Mr. Rift, they used Ms. Manuel to threaten Professor Manuel—said they’d take turn in rapping her if he didn’t hand over the distributorship for the vaccine. And they said that if he refused, none of us would walk out of that club alive.”The room went silent.Jaden’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning to stone. He looked at Abraham, who nodded grimly in confirmation. “It’s true,” Abraham said. “That Rajar and Ortega’s men said every word of it. They weren’t bluffing.”A deadly quiet settled over Jaden. Then, slowly, a chilling aura began to emanate from him. His presence alone made the air feel heavier—colder. Those closest to him instinctively stepped bac

Debanch’s gaze snapped to Kaelus the instant Trust pointed him out. For a moment he looked like a wolf who had found a bigger wolf he could not challenge. His posture collapsed, arrogance evaporating as he tried to rewrite history with a smile that did not reach his eyes.“C... Captain Kaelus,” he croaked, voice thin with false ease. “It has been some years. You are… doing well, aren’t you?”Kaelus’s smile was a blade disguised as amusement. “Debanch Forest. I remember you. You were the one who made that spectacular mistake.” He let the words hang like a verdict. “I wrote the report that demoted you to a regular soldier. I gave you a chance to redeem yourself. You failed. You were expelled. Now you crawl back here with the Ortega and Rajar dogs, thinking you can buy forgiveness with gifts. What respect do you expect from me?”Debanch’s skin went clammy. Sweat beaded at his hairline. He babbled, the promises spilling out of him like cheap wine. “Please, Captain. There must be a misunde

Lazarus and Trust stood frozen in place, their faces pale as chalk. Their eyes darted between each other and Jaden, unable to process what was happening.Why the hell is Jaden Rift calling all these people?Neither dared to speak. Their throats had gone dry, and their hands trembled uncontrollably.When they refused to act, Jaden’s expression didn’t change—just his tone. Cold, precise, and final. “Kaelus,” he said, “since these two don’t have the guts, you make the calls. I want Franklin Wilson, Francis Talbot, and Russell Crow here within ten minutes.”Kaelus bowed slightly. “Yes, Sir.”He took out his phone and made the calls. His voice was calm, but the names he mentioned carried weight that could shake the entire southern region.Ten minutes later, the wail of sirens echoed outside the Blues Club. The ground began to tremble under the synchronized march of boots.Hundreds of soldiers surrounded the entire building. Armored vehicles parked at every exit. The once-luxurious club was